The Giants are likely going to scale back their payroll in 2025 according to some reports, and the Yankees could benefit from a potential sell-off of veteran bats. LaMonte Wade Jr. is entering the final year of arbitration before hitting free agency and is someone that new President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey may consider moving this winter. With a .380 OBP and +4 Defensive Runs Saved at first base this season, the Yankees could look into acquiring his services and penciling him at the top of the lineup.
With a patient hitter who could hit for more power in a ballpark like Yankee Stadium, the Yankees could kill two birds with one stone by acquiring both their first baseman and leadoff hitter for the 2025 squad.
LaMonte Wade Jr. Is An Underrated Target For the Yankees
With a 119 wRC+ and .380 OBP this season, it’s easy to see why the Yankees would want someone like LaMonte Wade Jr. on the trade market. His combination of doing damage on contact while also making excellent swing decisions fit the Yankees’ lineup like a glove, and while his game power regressed from last season, a lot of that has to do with the ballpark he plays at and how difficult it is for left-handed hitters to hit the ball out there.
According to Baseball Savant’s Expected Home Run metric, Wade would have hit three more home runs this year here at Yankee Stadium and three more last year as well. He pulls the ball in the air more than the average hitter, and while he dipped from the 83rd Percentile in 2023 to just the 54th Percentile in Pulled Flyball% in 2024, the Yankees would likely see an increase as a result of the short porch in right field.
If the Yankees could get LaMonte Wade Jr. to utilize the short part of the field more, they could see his power go back to where it was in years prior, perhaps even reaching the 20 home run mark. At the very least, they’re getting a hitter with pristine plate skills who can set the table atop their lineup.
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Having someone with the patience that LaMonte Wade Jr. has would greatly benefit the stars behind him, as if the Yankees are able to retain Juan Soto, they would have the best duo in baseball placing immediate pressure on the pitcher to throw strikes. Wade has both the hit tool and the power to take advantage of seeing more pitches over the heart of the plate, something that Gleyber Torres took full advantage of over the final two months of the season.
Projected to make just $4.7 million in his final year of arbitration, the Yankees could get a huge boost to the top of their lineup in what wouldn’t be a particularly expensive trade to make from a prospect and financial perspective. The Giants could use young talent wherever they can get it, with the middle infield seeming to be a position of interest for San Francisco.
Someone like Caleb Durbin could appeal to them thanks to his speed, defense, and versatility, and if the Giants want arms, there are pitchers like Clayton Beeter or Will Warren who could be of interest. The Yankees have some chips to offer on the Minor League side, but if the Giants want a Major League upgrade, perhaps someone like Nestor Cortes could appeal to them as well.
If the Yankees want to make this a bigger deal, Camilo Doval could be a pitcher who they could target thanks to his elite-level velocity and excellent track record as a closer. He didn’t have a great season in 2024, but that could play to the Yankees’ benefit since he wouldn’t cost as much in a trade as he normally would. It’s less clear whether the Giants would move Doval or not, but conversations for one player could always expand.
LaMonte Wade Jr. should be the main player on the Giants the Yankees should inquire on though; his low-cost bat and his excellent patience make him a perfect get, and while he doesn’t help their numbers against LHP, the last two years could indicate an improvement in those matchups. While he’s slugging just .376 against southpaws over that stretch, Wade has a .378 OBP and .336 wOBA in these matchups.
He’s not the kind of player who will break the farm system or the payroll, and the Yankees could get a steady top of the lineup presence if they were to acquire him this winter.